Stronger
by miaadventure
Summary: Catherine has Cammie. And Catherine's willing to make Cammie suffer... And her family as well. Story is better than the summary! Zammie-ish? I guess...
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Cammie's POV

Yes. There were some things in this world that he just couldn't fix for me. He tried, he sure did. Tried harder than anyone else I've ever known. He must have cared for me so much... He didn't know how hard it was for me to leave him.

_Zach-_

_Please don't worry about me. I'll be fine._

I didn't have to put my name, he knew who I was. A letter couldn't possibly stop him from trying to find me, that I knew. There was really no point in leaving a letter... But it was one of those moments where leaving a letter seemed like the best thing you could do. I didn't leave him, I didn't leave any of them. I left _for_ them. I didn't want them to get hurt, they weren't- no, they didn't _have_ to be as big as a part of this as I was. If Catherine wanted me and left the people I loved the most alone... She would get me.

Cammie's POV

"So good to see you again, dear." I hated her sickly sweet, sarcastic voice so much. "Here I am, Catherine. You wanted me and here I am. Now get your goons off of them."

She smirked, and my head swirled thinking of Zach. "And why would I do that?" I squirmed in the chair. "YOU PROMISED," I yelled at her. "YOU PROMISED THAT ONCE YOU HAD ME YOU WOULD BE DONE WITH THEM-" Slap. "You should know better than to talk to me that way," she whispered, stepping closer to me. Leaning down, she whispered in my ear, "Wouldn't want Zach to get hurt now, would you?" My heart stopped. "You wouldn't dare hurt your own son." She smirked again. "He was never my son. My son wouldn't have turned against me. My son would not be in love with the one girl that was the daughter of the person that ruined my life."

She backed out of the cell, locking me in the cold and dark room, still strapped to the wooden chair. "Cammie, be prepared for torture... Put on a brave face for your video, won't you?"

That witch was going to make a torture tape out of me? I shook my head, but my thoughts were confirmed. Catherine Goode was going to torture me. Catherine Goode was going to video tape me. Catherine Goode was going to send the torture tape to Zach, to Bex, to Mom, to Abby. To Liz, to Macey, to Solomon, to Grant. To Jonas, to Townsend... I grimaced. She was going to make them crack.

Zach's POV

"Cammie's gone." Those words echoed in my head, repeating over and over again as I punched the dummies in the P&E shed. I fought with myself and couldn't bring myself to calm. Catherine probably took her. As I thought of that woman, I started to punch the dummy harder and harder until the seams ripped open and the dummy fell to the ground. Even though it was down, I continued to punch it until I fell on the ground in worry and sadness- I didn't let myself cry but I was shaking. Shaking hard.

I didn't know how long I was crouched there, but eventually I fell on my back and saw the sky... It reminded me of when Cammie had ran away before- she had come back and we were lying under the roof together.

"Zach?"

It was Liz.

"Hey..." I sat up and she walked closer until sitting down next to me. Her face was stark white, but blotched with dots of red here and there. She leaned against me, and I could feel her shivering. I wrapped an arm around her and she buried her face in my arms.

"Zach..." She was shaking has she spoke. "Will Cammie be alright?" I didn't answer. "Cammie... Cammie's not..." She broke down, crying, shaking, a mess. Neither of us wanted her to finish that sentence, and when she left, I sighed. _Cammie can't be dead. Cammie's too strong to die_, I told myself again and again.

I went back to my room, just lying on the bed. Hoping for some word... Something. When I woke up, I remembered something else Cammie wrote in her Cove-ops report. About sleeping... and not dreaming. And that was it. I slept... and didn't dream.

Still Zach's POV

"Zachary Goode to Headmistress Morgan," the intercom spoke. Mr. Smith nodded for me to leave COW, and I hustled to the Headmistress' office. I didn't bother to knock.

"It's Cammie," Ms. Morgan- er, no, Mrs. Solomon spoke. I stood there breathlessly; Bex, Macey, Liz, Townsend, Solomon, and Abby... They were all there.

"Zach... Catherine sent us a box." I had seen her do this before and I rushed out of the room. "ZACH!" Bex yelled, chasing me. I only ran harder, but Bex caught my arm and pulled me back towards Headmistress' office, pushing me in before her and locking the door behind us, standing in front of it to prevent me from running again.

"Zachary Goode you tell us what's in that box." Everyone was staring at me, inching closer.

"No."

"Zach you will tell us now or I swear I will-"

"I DON'T KNOW," I yelled. I didn't mean to... But I had to.

"You might not know what's in that box-" Macey started, "But you seem to have a pretty good idea of what might be."

I sighed. I knew I wasn't the only one with a hunch- Townsend was just better at hiding things than me. "Trust me, you don't want to know what's in it and you definitely don't want to open it."

"Too late." Abby had already grabbed a knife and was ripping the box apart. "Abby, stop." Townsend had his hands on her arms and started to pull her away from the box. She stared at him in disbelief. "So you know what's in there too?" He shook his head and stepped closer to me, almost as an act of taking my side. "No, I don't. But as Zach said, I have a pretty good hunch." He looked at me knowingly. "Rachel, if you do choose to open that box, I advise that you do not reveal the contents to anyone other than Joe, Abby, Zach, Grant, the Baxters, and myself." He paused. "And, if absolutely necessary, Professor Buckingham would not be too bad to show as well. Zach, if Jonas knows as well... If he knows as much as you do, then he also has a right to."

Bex looked like she was about to punch somebody. Macey too. And Liz, the peace keeper she is, turned to look at them. "Guys... It's for the best. What's in there could be really dangerous... And we might end up doing something stupid that would put not only us in danger, but Cammie too."

"Then why do Zach and Grant and Jonas get to see it?!" Bex complained rather loudly. Headmistress sighed. "Zach obviously knows what's in there- which means he's dealt with it before. Jonas may or may not know, but because of what Zach appears to know we think that he might. And Grant... I think it's time for you all to know that Grant is Cammie's step-brother."

"WHAT?! GRANT CAN'T BE HER BROTHER!" Bex yelled. Headmistress nodded. "But he is, Rebecca." Bex stopped and sat down on the couch in her office. It was just now where I realized everyone had been standing. "Rebecca, Macey, Liz... I'd like you to please leave now. We'll call you back in later, okay?" They slowly left, and Solomon escorted them to their rooms. "Zach," he started when he came back, "Do you know the whereabouts of Jonas and Grant?" He tossed me a phone and I dialed their numbers.

**Grant** Zach

**Hello?**

Grant, it's Zach.

**Dude, seriously? Haven't heard from you in what... Weeks? Months?**

Yeah, nice to hear from you too. Does Jonas happen to be with you?

**Yeah, we're actually out on a mission in London... He's here with me now. You need anything?**

You both need to come to Gallagher ASAP. I'll have Headmistress Morgan phone CIA HQ... You need a ride?

**No, man, we're cool. Or, actually... Could you have Macey send over a jet?**

Done. Meet me in Headmistress' office.

**Would you mind telling us what you need us for?**

Uhh... It's more of something you need to see. And Headmistress needs to tell you something else, too.

**Oh, sure. Be there in... Do you know any shortcuts to Virginia from London?**

Macey's jet pilot can get you here in 30 minutes max, 15 minutes minimum.

**Awesome. See you soon.**

I had hung up just as Headmistress had, alerting the CIA director of the current situation. I bit my lip, impatient for Grant and Jonas' arrival.

_Time skip 25 minutes_

Again, still Zach's POV

The door flew open and I stood up. Grant and Jonas were there, breathless and looking just a little bit disheveled. "So, Zachy, you going to tell me what's up or what?" His grin faded when he started to notice the grim aura surrounding the room. "What is it?" He asked again, this time slightly quieter. Headmistress stood up and guided Grant to her desk. "Grant... You're Cammie's step-brother." He choked and stumbled, hitting the desk. He propped himself up against the desk and turned to look at her. "So... Where's Cam?" Solomon stepped forward. "That's the thing boys... It appears Agent Morgan's location is somewhat... Compromised. But we believe Catherine has her. And we also believe that the box-" He gestured towards the box that was next to Grant on the desk, "may have some sort of clue to what happened to her." Jonas' eyes widened. "Zach... is that-" I nodded grimly. "I'm sure of it." Abby had picked up the knife again, and this time no one was stopping her from opening the small box.

"It's a CD."

Cammie's POV (LOL haven't done that in a while)

_"I'll never leave you, Gallagher Girl." Zach promised. But I knew better. That was a promise spies couldn't keep. But Zach was more than a spy. He kept his promises. And even if he had never said so, I knew he loved me. Like I loved him._

"Awake now?" Catherine was smirking yet again. "Your session is today. Now get up." She yanked me out of the chair and dragged me against the stone floor to another room. Colder, and surrounded with cameras and a single chair. Catherine strapped me to the metal chair and smiled, a remote in her hand. She pushed a button, and the cameras in the room came to life. And with that, she began the slow and painful torture.

She used knives. Knives and other unspeakable things. I promise you, I tried not to scream, or to cry out in pain. But once she had left the room with me still strapped to that chair... I cried. I cried and my tears mixed with my open wounds and blood. I cried and knew that my tears alone were probably torturing my family and loved ones almost as much as Catherine had tortured me. But I couldn't stop. I couldn't. So I cried and cried and cried. And it broke my heart even more that they were crying along with me. The pain I had brought upon myself alone was torturing other as well- a conclusion that I had never wanted this to end to.

Zach's POV

It was a torture tape. I knew it all along. Headmistress slipped the CD into her computer and turned the screen around so everyone else could see. There was a room. A room with a single chair. Cammie was sitting in it, and Catherine had a knife wielded in her hand. I cried out in fury and pain and heartbreak as I watched her trace Cammie with the knife and I was so heartbroken with the fact that this had already happened and that I couldn't stop her from doing anything. Catherine had so many weapons, left so many wounds. I was silent the rest of the time, aching to cry out. Abby and Headmistress were crying. Grant and Jonas sat on either side of me, their arms wrapped across my back. Joe had Headmistress enveloped in his arms, as did Townsend with Abby. We were all ridden with regret and sadness, wondering what we could've done to prevent that moment alone. I though it would last forever, and when Catherine finally left I almost let out a sigh. But I knew it wasn't over, not in the least. Five minutes passed before I saw Cammie break down and collapse in the chair, shaking, crying, and screaming in pain. I let out another cry of anguish and held my head in my hands, willing myself not to cry- I wouldn't cry. I would stay strong for Cammie- and I would find her.

**Hi guys! So, thank you for reading, and I'll update as soon as I have some free time! Please review and send me any ideas you might have for my story! I don't own anything in this story, Ally Carter does. I apologize if any of the characters seem a little out of their characters in the book but only Ally Carter can perfectly shape them. Again, thanks for reading and R&R! Feel free to PM me if you want to, too!**


	2. Chapter 2

Zach's POV

"Grant, get the girls here. They need to see this. Jonas, run scans on the camera and video... Pinpoint a location." I was going to find my Gallagher Girl.

Grant's POV

I was still shocked. Catherine... Torturing Cammie like that? And Cammie was my sister? I felt almost betrayed- what kind of people would dump all this stress on a normal person? But I reminded myself- I'm not exactly normal.

I ran down to the girl's dorm, the DVD in my hand. I knocked on the door then stepped back slightly.

"Grant?"

Bex. I held out the DVD and she gracefully took it. "What is this?" she asked. I didn't want to hurt her... But she had to see. They all had to see. I stepped into their messy dorm and opened Bex's laptop.

"Grant, what are you doing here?" Macey asked. Bex handed me the DVD and wordlessly I slipped it in and played it, turning away and sitting on Bex's bed so I didn't have to see it again. I heard Catherine's voice from the speakers and Liz's loud cries of anguish. I could tell that Macey was trying not to cry. And Bex... Bex was being strong for her best friend. She didn't react, didn't do anything. And I admired her so much in that moment.

"If you hadn't noticed already," I began, "It's a torture tape. Cammie's torture tape. Catherine has her- Jonas is trying to determine where she is now."

No one relaxed- didn't let their shoulders sag. They just sat there, watching the video until it ended.

"Guys... I promise you we'll be able to find her."

Liz bawled. It didn't take long for Macey and Bex to both hug her tightly and whisper comforting words in her ear, like Cammie would be okay, we would find her, etc. I left the dorm and waited outside.

Bex walked out first. She looked so serious, and I longed to see that smile of hers again. But now wasn't the time or place for jokes. I hugged Bex and she finally cried. "I-I-I need to find Cammie," she said into my t-shirt. "No," I spoke. "_We_ need to find Cammie."

Rachel Solomon's POV

We were alone in my office. Just Joe and I. Everyone else had left after watching the video; Joe was still comforting me. Zach was the last one to leave, he was yelling orders at Grant and Jonas after I gave him the DVD. I studied him when he left.

"He really loves her... Doesn't he?" I asked Joe. He wrapped his arm tighter around my waist and rested his chin on my head. "He does."

I bit my lip.

"Do you think Cammie's going to be okay? Do you think we'll be able to find her?" I asked nervously. When Joe nodded, he seemed so sure of it. I knew he loved Cammie just as much as I did, and I knew he was going to be an amazing father. We both rested a hand against my stomach, barely revealing a bulge. _7 more months to go. Cammie, please come back by then._

**OMIGOSH so what should I do next? That one was short, but I did two in one day. So in reality, it was more than 2,000 words. Maybe 3,000. I think I'll do 5 more reviews and then I'll update again. So review, constructively critique me! And if you guys give me any ideas, I'll try to remember to shout out you in the next chapter. Bye! OH, and thanks to InkHeart4112 for being my first reviewer EVER you're amazing.**


	3. Chapter 3

Cammie's POV

Catherine left me to sleep in the "Torture Room", as I had decided to name it. I knew someone would rescue me soon.

Zach's POV

The door to my room had been thrust open, and Grant was standing in front.

"He found it. Jonas found the coordinates."

We ran to Sublevel 3, where Jonas had been doing his research. Bex, Liz, and Macey were already there, clustered around the laptop. "0.62323562 latitude, 32.23234 longitude," said Jonas.

I had a bag in my room. It was filled with clothes and other necessities. Hey, if your mother is one of the most wanted people in all of espionage and you are her son, you need to be able to run away- and fast. I grabbed it and rushed to Headmistress' office for permission to leave.

"Ms. Mor- Mrs. Solomon. Jonas found her coordinates and I'd like your permission to leave."

"He found the coordinates?"

"Yes, he did. Headmistress I need to find her."

She smiled almost sadly and nodded. I exhaled and she laughed slightly. Before I left, she placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Zach... Cammie loves you so much. And I trust that you won't hurt her. Please, stay safe and bring her back safe as well."

_Cammie loves me?_

"Yes, Headmistress."

And with that I left.

Cammie's POV

Someone nudged me in my sleep. "Zach..." I mumbled, then realized that he wasn't there. A hooded figure was crouched in front of me, untying the binds around my arms and feet. I opened my mouth to yell, but the person was fast and covered my mouth.

"I'm here to rescue you," the male voice whispered.

I stopped my squirming and found myself released. I attempted to stand, but my legs were too weak. I fell into the outstretched arms of the man and he carried me out of the building bridal style. There was a black van waiting outside the secluded building and he opened the door, placing me in carefully and buckling me up before sidling in next to me.

"Who are you?" I asked, but the person did not answer, nor did the person take off their mask. The driver of the van kept on circling around to make sure there were no tails, not that there ever was. The ride finally ended in front of a small shack that seemed outside of any city parameters. The man got out and lifted me again, carrying me to the shack while the driver of the van drove away. He propped me up against the wall and pulled out a key, unlocking the door and carrying me inside.

The layout of the shack was quite simple, a small kitchen, a small dining table, a living room and two bedrooms. He carefully set me down on the couch in the living room and walked to the kitchen, completely stocked with enough food to last for years. He opened a small can of soup and heated it up, then placed it in a bowl and gave it to me.

"Who are you?" I tried again, and this time he sat down next to me. He turned my head to force me to look into his eyes, and slowly he pulled off his mask.

"Don't you remember me?"

**Cliffy. Who do you think I should have that person be? Any ideas you have for me? And characters you want me to write in their POVs? Review please! **


	4. Chapter 4

Cammie's POV

I sighed in relief that my rescuer had not been a stranger.

"Bubblegum Guard?" I didn't know his real name.

"Really? Is that how you and the girls refer to me as?" I grimaced. "Sorry."

"Nah, it's okay. Name's Tom."

Small talk. Honestly, I felt really bad for not knowing his real name. "How did you find me?"

He sighed. "We found your coordinates, and I was the one closest to the scene... They sent me to pick you up."

"But... You're a guard."

"I am. But, I also have went to Blackthorne before."

"That was where you studied?"

"Yup. Got a call from the CIA a couple years back after I was injured on a mission to go to Gallagher as a security guard. I do miss the field sometimes, but the guard work puts less stress on this old fellow," he said, patting his knee a couple times.

"What was the mission?"

"... It was in Buenos Aires."

"Wait... Did you go on that mission with Townsend and Aunt Abby?" I asked him, and he shrugged. "More or less." I handed the empty soup bowl back to him.

"Thank you," I whispered. "Not just for the soup and all, but for rescuing me too." He smiled and stood up to put the bowl in the sink.

"Tom?"

"Yes?"

I didn't know what else to say. I just wanted someone to talk to.

"Um... My cuts. Can you bandage them?"

"Yeah. Hold on."

Zach's POV

Jonas isn't the best person to have yelling directions at you through a comms unit hidden in your ear.

"Okay, turn left- no right here. WAIT NO NOT HERE, THE NEXT INTERSECTION. Or.. The one after that one."

"Now go straight. Straight. Straighttttt- TURN NOW"

The car was swerving in all directions and none of it was my fault.

Yup. That's Jonas for you.

Once I had gotten to the house, he demanded I do a security check. Of course, I ignored him and only did a brief one. And then I kicked open the door and ran to the Torture Room.

"Guys," I said, assuming that I was probably on speaker on the other end, "It's empty."

I knew it was the right room, right house; it looked exactly as it did in the video.

I had lost Cammie once before. It was hard enough then that she came back looking completely different with scars of torture all over her body.

We had found her again... But we were also too late.

Cammie's POV

Tom was actually quite nice. I didn't know why we had never talked before at Gallagher. Well, other than the fact that I was a little too busy with the whole Circle-of-Cavan-is-hunting-me-down thing. He cleaned and bandaged me up, fed me, and we talked about some of the most random things often. It wasn't long until I started to feel like he was almost like another father figure for me.

"Cammie, I have to inject this serum. It'll help your cuts heal faster." If I didn't trust him as much as I did then, I might have thought he was giving me steroids or drugs. But I did trust him, so I rolled up my sleeve and watched him inject the clear liquid into my arm. But I started to feel a little woozy.

"Tom... I think I have a headache," I said, after he had injected 10 ml. He smirked. "That's exactly what's supposed to happen."

I blacked out.

Tom's POV

Cammie was so naive. Yes, I may have admired her spy skills before, but she was just so easy to manipulate. Here's my story:

I went to Blackthorne as a kid. I was recruited by the Circle and trained harder- becoming an elite spy for the COC. Buenos Aires? That was a mission for the Circle. They needed Edward Townsend dead. They sent me on the mission, and the CIA sent Abigail Morgan to stop me. Edward was in Buenos Aires doing some MI6 work. I had a rifle in my hands, poised to shoot at Edward when Abigail shot me in the knee twice. I fired the gun off randomly and it missed Edward by a mile. I knew I had to find my revenge on Abigail. The COC had some members in high ranks of the CIA and got me a job as a security guard at Gallagher. The job paid well; my salary was already high from Gallagher alone- and every now and then the COC would add a couple thousand dollar bonus to make sure I knew I was still a part of the Circle.

I was the one who found Cammie's Cove-Ops report and sent it to the Circle. And I was going to be the one to bring her down.

**Ooh! I'm sorry if you liked the Bubblegum Guard. I don't think Tom is his real name... I had to make him evil! I actually almost did Cammie's dad, good guess! Also, I might take a quick hiatus from this story. My friend suggested I make Don't Cheat on Me Anymore a multi-chap fic, and I have all the steps I'm going to take for that written down. So I will be working on that story primarily, and I might just throw in some random chapters in this story if I have any extra time. Thank you so much for reading my story- please review! **


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